What kind of games did Japanese children play when tanks, aircraft, and soldiers were part of everyday life? This fascinating vintage Japanese military board game, known as Dai Kogun Shogi (Large Military March Chess), offers a glimpse into a very different era. The colorful box features a decorated military commander riding a white horse, with a Rising Sun flag behind him, aircraft overhead, and a tank advancing across the battlefield. Open the box, and an entire miniature army awaits. A Chess Game with Tanks, Aircraft, and Spies? Traditional Japanese shogi is a strategy board game somewhat similar to chess. But this military-themed variation takes the idea in a very different direction. The wooden playing pieces represent military ranks and units, including generals, infantry, cavalry, engineers, tanks, aircraft, spies, and military flags. The original folding game board features headquarters, entry points into enemy territory, and printed instructions explaining how the game was played. Rather than simply capturing pieces, players could imagine commanding an entire military operation. For modern collectors, it is an unusual and fascinating example of how military imagery entered popular entertainment. A Different Side of Japanese Military History When we think of Imperial Japan during World War II, we often picture uniforms, medals, battleships, and military equipment. But history also survives in ordinary household objects. Games like this offer a window into the society that existed beyond the battlefield. The military ranks, aircraft, tanks, and patriotic imagery reflect a time when the armed forces occupied a prominent place in Japanese public life. Who originally owned this game? Was it played by children, friends, or family members gathered around a table? We may never know. But the surviving wooden pieces, illustrated box, and original game board allow us to imagine a small part of everyday life in another era. Dating and Historical Context There is no clearly identifiable manufacturing date on this item. However, the military commander, Rising Sun flag, tanks, aircraft, and overall design strongly evoke prewar and wartime Japan. Following Japan’s defeat in 1945, militaristic education and cultural messaging underwent major changes. Considering this historical context, we believe the game was most likely produced before or during World War II. Contents and Condition The set includes: Original illustrated cardboard box Wooden military playing pieces featuring ranks, tanks, aircraft, and other units Folding paper game board with printed rules, piece rankings, and setup instructions The box and board show age-related wear, staining, creases, and other signs of use. The wooden pieces also show signs of age. The original piece count and completeness of the set have not been verified. Please examine all photographs carefully to assess the condition and included components. Not every piece of military history comes from a battlefield. Sometimes, a simple board game can tell us just as much about the people who lived through an extraordinary period of history. Own a Piece of History. International Buyers – Please Note.
ROMANIA KING Ferdinand I WITH General Berthelot and Romanian Military Generals Staff at THE CORONATION OF ALBA IULIA 1922 top rare PHOTO. X 8.9 cm. Within 24 hours the items won are sent to winners. And please keep in mind that I cannot influence any speed loss products reaching the destination. Please if you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me. Sometimes mistakes are made so. Please contact me if you have any problems and I’m sure we can work it out. Thank you for your time and interest in my auctions. Please watch my other auctions. I stand behind my goods, so you can shop at my store with confidence.
Former Japanese army kai 45 officer summer tunic and trousers. The shoulder boards are for a Tokumu Sacho (Special Duty Sergeant Major). The shoulder board on the right side when viewed from the front of the jacket is missing its shoulder-board fastener. The leather fastening strap on the shoulder board is also missing. When I acquired the item, the shoulder board had already been attached by thread stitching, which appears to have been a period repair. The stitching had come undone, so I re-stitched it. On the right side, the original thread used to secure the shoulder board had also come undone. I therefore attached the shoulder board using a simple thread fastening made by me. The overall condition shows some signs of age, including minor wear, stains, and dirt. Shoulder Width: 38 cm. Chest Width: 48 cm. Sleeve Length: 59 cm. Neck Circumference: 39 cm. Total Length: 104 cm. Please display in your collections and on your mannequins! How about military collector? International Buyers – Please Note.
Original factory accessories for the C. Haenel Schmeisser Pocket Model / Model I. 25 ACP (6.35mm) automatic pistol. Original cardboard box with label. Original maroon instruction manual (“DESCRIPTION AND INSTRUCTIONS for the use of the’SCHMEISSER’ Automatic-pistol Caliber 25″). Original cleaning brush. Original cardboard packing inserts. Pink safety warning label still attached inside the box. The manual is in excellent condition – clean, complete, and fully legible. Box shows expected age wear but remains solid and complete. These original accessories are scarce. Most pistols are found without the box or manual. Ideal for collectors looking to complete a Haenel Schmeisser Model I or Pocket Model set.
WWII Imperial Japanese Army Imperial Guard Discharge Commemorative Tea Saucer. This is a prewar Imperial Japanese Army commemorative tea saucer made to mark a soldier’s discharge from the Imperial Guard Division. The Japanese inscriptions on the surface read “Imperial Guard Division” and Discharge Commemoration. At the center is a scroll displaying the five military virtues derived from the Imperial Rescript to Soldiers and Sailors: loyalty, proper conduct, valor, faithfulness, and simplicity. Issued in 1882, the Imperial Rescript became one of the foundations of moral education within the prewar Japanese military. On the right is the distinctive Imperial Guard Division emblem, while the left side depicts a palace-style scene associated with the Imperial residence. The Imperial Guard held a special position within the Japanese Army. Originally organized to protect the Emperor and the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, its soldiers served in one of the most prestigious formations of the prewar military. Tea also had an important place in everyday Japanese hospitality. A small saucer such as this was therefore both a practical household object and a personal keepsake marking the end of a soldier’s military service and his return to civilian life. The reverse bears the Japanese inscription Design Registered, No. Approximate size: 11 × 8 cm / 4.3 × 3.1 in. There are minor scratches, discoloration, and signs of age, but no major damage. Please refer to the photographs for the exact condition. Own a Piece of History. International Buyers – Please Note.
Original early German canvas combat/field rucksack (Rucksack). Features clear maker ink stamps on the inner closure flap reading August Kraft / Sattlerbetrieb / Jülich Rhid. Constructed in the classic pattern produced from WWI through the Reichswehr and early Wehrmacht periods. Features olive canvas with heavy dark leather edge trim, complete interior divider flap with functional buckle strap, and original integrated leather shoulder straps with metal end hooks. Some leather parts are broken/replacedLeather remains dark, flexible, and completely intact with no dry-rot. Canvas shows light age patina with no major holes or heavy stains. A complete, early German rucksack suitable for Imperial WWI, Reichswehr, or WWII displays.
Douglas XP3D-2 Navy Flying Boat Photo 8×10 Sole Prototype Built, 1936. The Only One Built… It Later Crashed With Future Fleet Admiral Ernest King Aboard. DESCRIPTION This 8×10 photograph documents the Douglas XP3D-2, a twin-engine U. Navy patrol flying boat and the only aircraft ever built to this exact configuration. The print is dated directly on the negative, May 19, 1936, and shows the aircraft riding on the water with its distinctive retractable wingtip floats lowered and its nose turret in place, both features unique to the rebuilt XP3D-2 version. The story behind this airframe is what sets it apart. In 1933 the Navy ordered single prototypes from both Douglas and Consolidated Aircraft to compete for a new patrol bomber contract. That Consolidated design became the PBY Catalina, the most-produced flying boat in history. Douglas rebuilt its prototype in one more attempt to win follow-on orders, raising the wing, moving the engines to the leading edge, and adding retractable floats and a nose turret. The rebuilt aircraft, redesignated XP3D-2, was re-delivered in May 1935, but the Navy again went with Consolidated. With no production contract to follow, the sole XP3D-2 was reassigned as a VIP transport with Patrol Squadron VP-11F. Less than a year after this photograph was taken, on February 8, 1937, the XP3D-2 suffered an engine failure and crashed in Acapulco Bay, Mexico, destroying the only example of the type ever built. The VIP aboard, Rear Admiral Ernest J. King, walked away from the wreck. King went on to become Commander in Chief of the U. Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations during World War II, one of only four officers in U. Navy history to hold the rank of Fleet Admiral. This print carries a period caption inscribed directly on the negative, “9342 XP3D-2 5-19-36, ” identifying both the aircraft type and the exact date the photo was taken. Every effort is made toward fact checking and provenance, including background research through news and historical archives. If any listing is incorrect in any way and you’re unsatisfied with the item, please reach out and I’ll make it right. CONDITION Vintage period photographic print with good overall detail and solid contrast throughout the image. The period caption in the lower right (“9342 XP3D-2 5-19-36″) is clear and legible. The reverse shows the natural toning expected of a photograph this age, along with small patches of adhesive/paper residue in a couple of corners from previous album mounting; no writing is present on the back. No tears, creases, or emulsion loss are visible. Please review all photos closely, as they are the best representation of actual condition.
